


Ask Him

by theonetosurvive



Series: Surprise [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Homophobic Language, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Peter is a Little Shit, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 12:42:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13054230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theonetosurvive/pseuds/theonetosurvive
Summary: Howard Stark was a real piece of work, including a homophobic asshole. Tony has to deal with the aftermath of that even years later. He has suppressed certain feelings for years till he meets a certain doctor.This is somewhat connected to another story I did called "Surprise" but can be read as stand alone.





	Ask Him

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this fast. This is inspired by a comment Tony makes in the fic I wrote called "Surprise". Hope you like it. May have mistakes but I'm happy with it.

“Tony, why don’t you just ask him?” Peter was working in the lab with Tony in the tower. 

“What the hell are you going on about kid. I agreed to help you work on the web fluid, not talk about teenager problems.” Tony looked up from his work “Hand me the stabilizer sample 42”

Peter did as was told but he wasn’t gonna be ignored. “He would say yes if you just asked him.” He smiled at Tony hoping he would catch on. 

“Ask who what?” He could tell Tony was starting to get annoyed but already got him going, why to stop now. 

“Dr. Banner. You like him. It’s really obvious. I know he likes you too. If you would just ask him out…” He looked up to see Tony glaring at him. 

“Listen here, kid. You don’t know what the hell you are talking about. I’m not gay, never have been gay and never will be. I don't have some ’crush’ on Banner. I admire him and we’re friends but that’s it. Now, if you ever try to bring this up again I will be thoroughly pissed off. Capisce.” He made air quotations when he said crush and ended with slamming his hands on their work table. Peter was surprised but decided to drop it.

“Capisce.” They went back to their work silently. 

~-~

Later that evening Tony sat in the penthouse with a glass of scotch in his hand and hurt in his heart. If Peter caught on who else knew. I need to stop this. I can’t love Banner. I’m not gay. Howard Stark did not raise a faggot. He finished his scotch decided to go back to the lab to get some work done. 

~-~

“Hey, Tony. Another sleepless night as well?” Bruce looked at him over his laptop and smiled. God, that smile was so gorgeous. Tony walked over to his workstation.

“You know me, always working.” Tony glances at Bruce again seeing he has gone back to work. He starts to think about what Peter said but shakes his head. No, Bruce can’t know, no one can know. It’s not even a crush. I just admire a fellow scientist for how brilliant he is. And how beautiful his eyes are, and how cute his hair is even when it’s messy and fucking hell. Tony kicks his chair.  
~-~

Bruce looks at Tony with owl eyes. “Um… everything okay Tony? Do you want to talk about something?” 

Tony looks at me almost like he’s scared at first and then straightens. “Sorry, long day just got frustrated by something and this isn’t the place to take that out.” Tony starts to leave but Bruce gets up and grabs his arm.

Tony, talk to me. What’s wrong?” Bruce looks into his eyes and sees the fear lying there. He loves Tony. it hurts to see him in pain.

~-~

Tony looks at him and he breaks. “I can't do this anymore Bruce. I can’t do it.” He slides to the ground against the door. Bruce sits next to him.

“Tony, I don’t understand. What can’t you do?”

“This, us, everything. I can’t pretend Bruce. I’m not the fucking perfect son Howard always wanted. I knew this but I thought if I could at least not fuck this up it was some redemption.” Tony could feel the fact that he was on the verge of tears. He grabbed his hair pulling at it, furious at himself and started to cry.

“Tony, shh, it’s okay. Calm down. Come on breath with me.” Bruce started to count to ten telling him to breathe in and out. It helped a little. “Now tell me, what is it you can’t pretend anymore. And what does it have to do with your father.”

Tony waited till he caught his breath. “When I was 15 Howard caught me kissing another boy. He has caught me doing worse things with girls but let me tell you, no son of Howard Stark would be a fag. He sent me to a Catholic boarding school, made me do conversion therapy, obviously paid off everyone for their silence and then his son was cured. I have spent my whole life trying to fix that mistake. I like women, obviously by my playboy reputation. I will tell you more than half of those women though never make it to my bed, just for show to keep up the act. Tony Stark, genius, playboy and philanthropist. It was okay, I could suppress it all.” Tony was playing with his shirt cuff and looked up at Bruce with a painfully sad smile. “I could hide it all till I met you, Bruce.”

~-~  
“I could hide it all till I met you, Bruce.”

Bruce gasped slightly. He had his suspicions that Tony returned his affections but he also thought maybe he was just flirty with everyone. Now to do damage control. “Tony, unfortunately somehow I feel for your arrogant ass.” That made Tony chuckle which he knew it would. “I also know what it’s like to pretend and to hide. Tony, I think I love you. I never thought I would say that again in my life. We’re kind of awful for each other but we’re also perfect for each other.” 

Tony looked at Bruce like he held the world in his hands at that moment, which to Tony, he might. “Howard is long dead. Howard was also an asshole. He was your father, and he loved you in his own way but it’s well established he may not have always made the best parenting decisions. He was a product of his time and his fear. I think he didn’t want anyone to hurt you, Tony. a prominent public figure being bisexual in the 90’s was not okay unless you were like Elton John or something.” Tony smiled and leaned on Bruce. Bruce held him and stroked his hair.

“I suppose you're right. It’s hard to get through years of hearing that what I want most is wrong.” Tony holds onto Bruce. “I want to love you, Bruce. I can’t pretend anymore.” 

Bruce smiled “You don’t have to Tony. We will get there in time. I love you, Tony, even if you say that yet, we will get there. We have our whole lives.” Bruce wanted to kiss Tony so bad but wouldn’t rush him.

Tony sat up a little “Can I kiss you?”

“As you wish.” Tony leaned forward and kissed Bruce like his life depended on it. Things aren’t okay now. Won’t be tomorrow but they will be soon. Tony has Bruce now and can be his whole self now. No more hiding. He should buy that annoying little shit a present. Wonder if he has an Xbox. That thought was soon cut short by Bruce grabbing his tie for another kiss. He was the happiest he had been in years.

~-~

Next day Peter walked into his room to see a paper bag with his name on it. It had a note attached. 

“Sorry I was an asshole to you yesterday. You're smarter than I give you credit for. I would like you and that annoying deadhead I know your seeing (haha to can play this game Peter) to have dinner with Bruce and me later this week. You were right. So you don’t go around saying I told you so here’s a little bribe.”

Peter opened the bag to find a new Xbox One, a hundred dollars to GameStop and a picture of him making out with Deadpool. On the back, the photo said “Gotcha ;)” Peter laughed. Tony was strange, but he wouldn’t want any other mentor.


End file.
